Species Diversity of Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) in Chili PEPPER (Capsicum annum L.) Plantation in West Sumatera

Stingless bees are social insects like honey bees which can function as pollinator. Some of them can be pollinator in chili pepper plants which is very important role in increasing chili pepper production in West Sumatera. The objective of this research was to study the species diversity of stingless bees in chili pepper plantations in West Sumatera. Stingless bees were collected using insect net from nine districts/towns and in every district /town 2 sampled locations were determined. Results showed that there were three species of stingless bees found to visit chili pepper plantations, Trigona (Tetragonula) leaviceps Smith (58.85 %), T. minangkabau Sakagami et Inoue (40.18 %), and T. (Heterotrigona) itama cockerel (3.97 %). The species diversity was low with Shannon-Wiener index 0.82, similarity indeks 0.75 and dominance indeks 0.475. There were two dominant species, T. leaviceps and T. minangkabau.